Cuts
by IzabellaRiddle
Summary: He never made a sound as they drew the blade across his skin...again and again as the sun set.


The gate room fell silent as they stepped out of the event horizon. It wasn't more than a few seconds later that he heard the gurney being run down the hallway getting closer and closer by the second. He knew it was too late though nothing could be done the natives made sure of that.

He could feel the blood slowly dripping down the back of his collar soaking through his already bloody uniform. Carson appeared before him a moment later with his gurney and nurses waiting to help even though it wasn't going to be of any use. Aiden sighed as he placed his fallen comrade on the gurney and watched as Carson began rolling away probably toward the infirmary.

He closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath as Dr. Weir slowly walked down the stairs coming across the floor to meet them where they stood still in front of the now silent stargate. She had tears running down her face and an obvious question showing in her eyes.

Just what had happened on that planet and why hadn't he called for help when they had begun to have issues. She regretted in that moment not sending a team after them when they failed to check in but she thought the planet uninhabited and so had figured they were just out of radio range.

"What happened?" she asked quietly

The gate room went silent as the young Marine Lt took a breath and then began to speak, "he volunteered to go through the ritual. Apparently, we had walked through an area that an unknown tribe on the planet considered sacred. They had tied us up and I couldn't get free...I could barely move. The leader said one of us would have to go through a ritual to assist with the purifying of the ground before we could leave. He said he would before anyone else had a chance to say anything, I think he knew what they were going to do. He knew he wouldn't make it through whatever it is they were planning on doing. The next time I saw him after they took him away he was dressed in that robe..."

 **Flashback**

They were still tied to the poles when they led him out of the small hut that they had disappeared with him into. It was obvious even from this distance that they had washed him with something and made him change into the rope he was wearing. There seemed to be no sign of anything signifying who he was or that he had been a member of their group.

It seemed like a dream as they tied him to the altar. No matter what they did they couldn't get free from the poles. It started slowly and there was nothing they could do to save the man who was their friend.

Chanting started around the village all of the tribespeople speaking at the same time. He wondered for a moment how many times these people had done this to unsuspecting travelers. The tribe leader appeared next to where they had tied him with a wicked looking dagger. The blade gleamed silver in the sunlight of the planet. Then the slicing began every move so slow and precise against the tan skin of their captive.

They started with his left arm slowly drawing the blade over his exposed arms drawing small rivulets of blood to the surface as the blade passed. The blood ran down his arms soaking through the black wristband he always wore. It took hours it seemed as they methodically made their way up to his shoulder before moving on to his other arm. They slowly moved around his body placing slice after slice into his skin. The more they sliced the more they tried to get free but nothing they did helped.

Never did he make a sound as they drew the blade across his skin...again and again as the sunset. He kept his silence through the whole thing even though they could see the pain in his eyes. The alter soon was covered in blood, the sides turned red with the sticky life force. It was just as the sun was setting that they made the last cut, the deepest one. The blood seeped from the deep neck wound, the remains of what blood was left in the body breaking free of the skin.

Even then he didn't move or speak he just smiled, his team would be free.

 **End Flashback**

Elizabeth didn't know what to do and so she placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. Behind Aiden, she could see the tears falling down both Rodney and Teyla's faces. She knew Rodney would never forgive himself for this. He had been the one to suggest they go to the planet...she knew he would blame himself.

Teyla mourned for her friend the first one that she made after they came to this galaxy. Her leader and the man who had died to save their lives.

Aiden held up his clenched fist and chocked back a sob as he opened it to reveal a silver set of dog tags covered in blood. He had pulled them from the fire where his leader's things had been thrown after his last breath. Even in the blood Elizabeth could read them. She couldn't believe that John Sheppard was dead.

"They cut him...thousands of cuts...they didn't care who he was or what he meant to us. He suffered so we would be set free. They cut deep into our hearts...taking one of our own for their retribution."


End file.
